Another Lebron Title

July 6, 2013

Upon the recent completion of the 2012-2013 National Basketball Association season, the Miami Heat were able to extend their reign over the world of professional basketball. For a second consecutive year, due in large part as a result of the outstanding contributions and leadership of former Cleveland Cavaliers' great and "home town" hero, LeBron James, who was rewarded appropriately by being selected as the season's as well as NBA Finals, "Most Valuable Player."

Although James' performance in the championship series was quite memorable and laudatory, the Heats' championship may have gotten an inexplicable dose of what one may regard simply as old-fashioned "good luck" that proved most instrumental in Miami's recent triumph.

What I am referring to, is the extremely unlikely and bizarre set of circumstances in game 6 of the championship finals with the San Antonio Spurs leading the Heat, three games to one, and a Spurs victory would have clinched them this year's NBA title.

With 28 seconds remaining in the game, the Spurs led by five points with possession of the ball, and it was then noted by one of the on-air pundits that in the history of the N.B.A., the team with such a lead with so little time remaining were victorious 98.5 percent of the time.

However, an unprecedented series of events contributed to the Spurs' ultimate demise.

Such included in the missing of two key free throws (out of four attempts), one each by two accomplished free throw shooters when one additional made free throw would have won the game for the Spurs.

Also, during that final 28 second span, James, attempted two-three point shots which failed, but as a result of the Heat grabbing two incredible offensive rebounds, giving the Heat second opportunities to convert be the key shots, which were then made by James and Ray Allen, respectively, that miraculously placed the game into overtime during which the Heat prevailed and went on to also be victorious in Game 7, which clinched the series for Miami.

Had the Spurs garnered only one defensive rebound in the closing seconds or had the Spurs strategically fouled a Heat player for a two-free throw situation, the game and the title would have gone to the Spurs.

As a longtime fan, of the Cleveland Cavaliers, I remain quite disappointed by the lack of respect James had shown to Cavs' fans in his bragadocious and self aggrandizing announcement of his decision to join the Heat.

I also believe that if James worked as hard to improve his game with the Cavs as he did with the Heat, the Cavs would have been crowned N.G.A. during his tenure with the team.

Perhaps James' philosophy when it comes to winning basketball games may be reminiscent of the word of the late former professional wrestler, Waldo Van Erich, who stated: "No one asks how I won, only if I won, and to them my answer is "Yes."

It appears the above may somewhat confirm the adage that at times, "it simply may be better to be lucky than good."